“Why do we need a private room?” Desiree leaned in to ask.
“So that we can talk privately.”
She frowned at him. “If you plan to ask me anything about Aimery, forget it. Nothing about him is open for discussion. What we shared ended over two years ago.”
As far as Cobra was concerned, she hadn’t shared anything with the man. At least nothing solid. “Whatever.” She would discover soon enough that lovers could talk in other ways.
When he’d awakened that morning, it hit him that he would be leaving town and wouldn’t see her for a few days. That bothered him. And after seeing that Aimery guy and knowing the man would be in New York while Cobra was in Savannah, didn’t sit well with him, either. What the hell was wrong with him? He was acting like a jealous boyfriend, but the idea was ridiculous. He’d never worried about what a woman was doing before, so why was he doing it now?
“Here you are, Sir,” Thomas said, opening the door to the private room. “The menus are on the table. I’ll return in a few minutes to take your orders.”
“No rush, Thomas. I’ll text you when we’re ready.”
“Yes, Mr. Masters.” Then the man left.
Cobra watched Desiree glance around the room with a curious eye. In addition to the dining table, there were a couple of sofas in the room, a private bar, a huge television on the wall, and specialized audiovisual equipment.
The Belgium Room was not only located in the back of the restaurant but also on another floor. Diners had to take an elevator to reach it. The expansive room provided a secluded, intimate atmosphere ideal for discreet, upscale lunches or dinner business meetings. A few years ago, he and four other businessmen formed a co-op to sub-lease this room. Given their clientele, they saw it as a valuable investment. So far, Cobra had always used it for business, but not today.
He removed his jacket and hung it up on a nearby coat rack by the door. Without Desiree noticing, he locked the door, then moved toward her. She certainly looked good today. That red pantsuit looked sexy as hell on her, and the color seemed to make her eyes appear more vibrant. The tunic portion of the pantsuit had a square neckline with a button-down front, and the hem ended just short of her hipline, framing her feminine curves. She looked both professional and sexy.
Desiree took a step back when he approached, assuming he was about to pull out the chair for her to sit at the dining table, then gasped when, instead, he swept her into his arms and carried her over to one of the sofas.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked in an indignant tone when he sat down with her in his lap.
“I told you we would talk, but there’s more than one way to communicate, Desiree. Today I plan to demonstrate another way.” Then he swooped down and took her mouth in a sizzling kiss.
CHAPTER 13
When Desiree parted her lips, Cobra’s tongue immediately sought entrance, mating with hers with an intensity that melted away any resistance. How could she deny herself this? How often was a woman kissed by a man who so evidently knew what he was doing?
She wasn’t sure how long the kiss lasted before they were forced to pull back for air. He stared down at her, and the moment their gazes locked, something passed between them. She wasn’t sure what, but knew from the look in his eyes that he had felt it, too. He then lowered his head, and with gentle precision, he traced her mouth with the tip of his tongue, moving from one side to the other.
When she released a moan, Cobra added sensuous nibbling around her mouth into the mix. He began licking downward toward her neck, and her nerve endings went on high alert as he traced kisses all over her collarbone.
Finally, he returned to her mouth to kiss her again. She had been so caught up in the kiss that she hadn’t realized he had unbuttoned the top of her pantsuit until she felt a cool blast from the air conditioner hit her chest. She broke off the kiss to stare up at him and saw how dark his pupils had become. He was so aroused that she could feel his erection poking hard against her backside.
“I want to taste your breasts, Desiree. May I?”
She was surprised he had asked. Neither Eddie nor Aimery had. It was as if they’d assumed her breasts had been theirsfor the taking. “What if someone were to come in?” she asked, glancing at the door.
“I locked it.”
“Oh.” Had he brought her here with the intention of seducing her? If so, how far would he take things? Was he willing to forgo his vow of celibacy?
As if he was privy to her thoughts, he said, “I won’t go any farther than tasting your breasts, Desiree. No matter how hot things get. I promise.”
“You have that much control?” she asked.
He smiled. “I am a very disciplined man.”
He was also a man who wasn’t telling her everything. Maybe it was time for her to tell him what she knew. But then, as Camille had said, his vow of celibacy was private to him, like her vow was to her. Still, she would be the one who derived pleasure from what he wanted to do, not him. So why was he torturing himself this way?
What man was that noble? None she’d ever come across. He had to be thinking that he would get something out of it eventually. Was it his plan to deliberately keep her all hot and bothered for three more months?
She couldn’t see that working out, considering how hot they were for each other now. Her period of celibacy didn’t end until January, but she had no qualms about ending it sooner, for him, knowing the depth of pleasure she would receive. Cobra had already proven that he was a giver, not a taker.
All rational thoughts fled her mind when she felt his finger trace along the edge of her red lace bra.
